Bacteriophage and Their Potential Use in Bioaugmentation of Biological Wastewater Treatment Processes

Şuheda Reisoglu and Sevcan Aydin ()
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Şuheda Reisoglu: Division of Biotechnology, Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34134, Turkey
Sevcan Aydin: Division of Biotechnology, Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34134, Turkey

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 16, 1-13

Abstract: In wastewater treatment plants, the stability of the related microbiota is pivotal for a steady and appropriate operation in biological wastewater treatment (BWT). The interactions between phages, which are high in amounts and diversity, and their particular hosts are significant due to their specificity in this microbial community. As drivers of diversity, phages are capable of changing the microbial structure by affecting host cells. This study aimed to enhance the stability of the functional microbiota, a primary concern of BWT, by evaluating the influence of bioaugmentation with bacteriophage cocktails. The sequencing data revealed significant alterations in the entire microbiome, including microeukaryotes, induced by the bacteriophages. These alterations led to a reduction in opportunistic microorganisms while preserving the beneficial ones. The genus Proteobacteria was found unaffected by three antibiotics in the bioreactor due to its antibiotic-resistant members, leading to its further growth, while the antibiotic-sensitive genus decreased in quantity. Furthermore, the phages notably influenced the metabolic pathway such as nitrogen, carbohydrate, and amino acid metabolisms by eliminating opportunistic microbes and providing improved growth conditions to bacterial species that are essential for effective reactor performance and wastewater treatment.

Keywords: bacteriophage; wastewater treatment; bioaugmentation; microbial community (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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